Toaster



Feb. 9, 1937. s. FREEMAN ,3

TOASTER Filed April 7, 4931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED, STATES PATENt oFF ca My invention relates to a new and improved toaster.

One of the objects of my invention is .to providea new and improved toaster of the typein which the support for the bread or the like is movably moun d in a casing, and said support is moved upwardly, so that the toilet the bread or the like projects above the casing, in order to enable the toasted article to be conveniently removed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device oi. this type, in which the upward or j expelling movement of said support can be regulated, so that articles of various sizes, such as pieces of bread or various sizes, muflinsandthe like, can be toasted. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a device or this type, which shall include simple and convenient means for adjusting the upward movement of said support. 1

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of this type which shall be simple and compact, and which can be readily incorporated in automatic devices of the well known type.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawings, it

being understood that the above general state ment of the objects of my invention is intended to generally explain the same and not to limit it in any manner. I I r Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the toaster, partly broken away. v

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the toaster. Fig. 3 is a section along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig; 4 is a fragmentary view partially in section. showing the arm that limits the intermediate position of the support. f Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the openlugs, for the arm which controls the intermediate position of the support.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation partially broken away,

of another I rm of toaster.

Fig. 8 is a. vertical section-partially in elevation,

showing how the device is used for toasting mumns or other relativelysmall articles.

Fig. 9 is a section along the line 99 of Fig. 8

showing a device'ior'toasting muflins and slices of broader ordinary size.

Fig.10 is a perspective view showing a single type of support for the articles to be toasted.

' with several well known automatic types of toaster. The first type illustratedincludesa base 2 Claims. (01. 58-5) having an outer head L. This lever fl is pivoted at I6 to a wall of an inner casing 1". A 5 tension spring S tends to maintain the lever II in ,the upper position, which is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Near its outer end, the lever II is connected by atransverse pin 36 with an extension 23" of a vertically siidable bar 23, which is 10 connected to a vertically movable support I 3 by means 01' rivets 23. 23 of extensiona As shown in Fig. 1, the lever I I is pivotally connected at I5 to a link It, having a roller 0' which moves in a slot 50 of a switch C. @Hence, when the lever. II is moved down to the full line position shown in Fig. 1, switch C closes the circuit of the electric heating elements in the following manner. On the rear 01' the toaster is a metal guard Ill which houses an extension cord, II. This extension cord is the meansior supplying the current to the switch 0. The switch 0 is pivotally mounted at Il and has mounted onits lower extremity a carbon electrode I9 which works in conjunction with an electrode I8 and by this means current is allowed to flow from the determined period of time, by thecontrol mechanism provided for this purpose.

The bar as is provided with a longitudinally projecting ear 23 which can be engaged by a latch 26, which is pivotally connected to a bar 25 of the timing device. The latch 24 can be laterally turned, so as to release the ear 23, thus permitting the spring S to move the lever I I to the 1 upper position. The bar 25 and its latch 24* can be moved to the inoperative positiomwhenevar desired, by upwardly moving the trip member 21.-

The lever L of the timing mechanism can be moved downwardly, the distance-o! such downward movement being controlled by a regulating knob K, which is of the usual type.- The timing mechanism to which the lever L' is connected, causes the same to move upwardly with regulated speed after it has been moved downwardly, until it contacts with the member 25, thus moving said member 25 and latch 24 to the inoperative position, thus releasing the lever II and permitting a support I3 to move upwardly. These parts per se The pin 36 moves in a slot are all well known, and no-further illustration is required.

The lever II moves in a slot 26, and-the lever L' moves in a slot 3 I. The slot 26 has a top wall 26 According to my invention, I provide a supplemental stop 29, which is actuated by a knob K which projects from the end wall of the casing F. This stop 29 can prevent the upward movement of the lever II, so as to limit the upward movementof the support I3. The adjacent wall of the casing F is provided with a slot 34, and the knob K has a shank which fits in said slot 34, so that the knob K can he slid laterally to and fro, without being turned. Likewise, thestop 29 is held against turning movement on the shank of the knob K. The inner end of the shank of the knob K is provided with a washer K in order to assem-i ble the parts.

When the stop 29 is used, the device is adapted for toasting relatively large pieces of bread. The actuation of the switch C isadjusted, so that this is moved to the circuit-opening position, when thelever II contacts with the stop 29. If it is desired to toast relatively small articles, such as muflins I2, the stop 29 is moved to the inoperative position, thus permitting the full upward movement of thelever II and of the support I3;

As shown in Fig. 4, a pivoted latch 31 can be 'provided. In the full line position shown in Fig.

4, the device is adapted to toast pieces of bread or relatively large articles, and in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4, the device is adapted to toast muffins and smaller articles. This latch 31 is pivotally connected to the device at 39, and

it has a bifurcated end 31 which straddles the stationary bar 2|, which serves as a guide for the sliding movement of the member 23. The latch 31 also has a' projecting member 31, which moves in a slot 31 of the end wall of the casing Asshown in Fig, 6, the projection 3! is held in a slot IIl for toasting relatively large articles, and it is held in a slot 4| for toasting relatively small articles. The principle of operation is the same as before, that is, when the member 31 is in the slot it permits the full upward movement of the support I3.

' In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, a single lever 32 is utilized, instead of the levers H and L'. The supply of current is regulated by a knob 33 and further illustration is not required, as Fig. 7 generally illustrates another well known type of toaster.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, an improved support 43 is provided. The top of this support 43 is concave, and said supportis connected to the member 23 by means of an angular connecting member 40. The support 43 also has a lug 40 connected thereto, and this slides in a slot 42, which is provided in the inner casing As shown in Fig. 9, the member 43 may pro-- vide a support which supplements the main support I3, so that the device comprises two separate sections, one section for toasting pieces of bread I2 and another section for toasting muffins or other relatively small articles.

Heating elements 25 are supported upon sheets of mica 25 in the usual manner.

As shown in Fig. 10, the muflin support 43 may be provided with lugs 43 which slide upon suitable verticle rods B, in order to maintain the muflins I2 in vertical position.

As shown in Fig. 11 the usual support I3 can be replaced by an improved support II3, which has a slot H2, in order to permit the pieces of bread I2 to be held transversely in the usual position. However, if desired, mufiins or other small articles I2 may be supported upon the upand a corresponding electrode f8. The timer is connected to a bracket 38, and the upper end of a guide 2I is also connected to the .bracket 38. A time clock is identified by the reference letter 24, and it is held in position by means of bolts 39.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is clear that numerous changes and omissions could be made without departing from its spirit.

For example, the top of. the enclosing frame of. the device shown in Fig. 1, could. have concave portions at the top so that a disk-like muffin or the like can be easily raised from the support even though the top of such mumn does not project above the top of the frame.

The device shown in Fig. 11 can form the supv port for the device shown in Fig. 1. ,The construction-shown in Fig. 11 is partlcularly,desirable because the support can hold a relatively thin piece of toast in the lower position, and it can hold a relatively thick piece of toast, a muffin, or the like, in the upper position.

I claim:

1. In an automatic toaster of the type which has a frame and a vertically movable support slidable in said frame, and a control device adapted to stop the upward movement of said support at a predetermined level, said support consisting of two platforms, the ends of the upper platform being spaced from each other so that a relatively thin article to be toasted can be directly supported upon said support intermediate said supporting means, and a relatively smaller or thicker article to be toasted can be directly supported on said upper supporting means.

2. In an automatic toaster of the type which has a frame and a vertically movable support slidable in said frame and a control device adapted to stop the upward movement of said support at a predetermined level, said support consisting of two platforms of different heights integral with each other, so that a relatively thin article to be toasted can be directly supported upon the lower support and a relatively smaller or thicker article to'be toasted can be directly supported on the upper supporting means.

I SAMUEL FREEMAN. 

